Knitting machine



y 1946. R. c. AMIDON 2,400,526

' KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .70 n Sun/Wm Roy 0. Amid 0m v 2 Sheets-SheeiZ R. c. mmo;

KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 20, 1944 1 2 051 'L -'Ami0rv, 1 Y

Patented May 21, 1946 1 I 2,400,526

2,400,526 KNITTING MACHINE Roy 0. Amidon, Reading, Pa., assignorto Vanity Fair Mills, Inc., Reading, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania 4 Application January 21 1944, Serial No. 519,015 g 3 Claims. (01. 66-86) My invention relates to knitting machines, and in'my application Serial #516,777 filed Jan, l,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE" particularly to machines of the Tricot type. v 1944. i

More specifically, the present invention relates Other objects of the invention will in part be to mechanismfor feeding or delivering the obvious and in part be pointed out hereinafter. thread or yarn, used in the knitting process, from To the attainment of the aforesaid objects and the warp beams to the needles. In the producends the invention still further resides in the tion of fabrics made upon the Tricot or so-called novel details of construction, combination and arfast-warp machines, or in any process using the rangement of parts, all of which will be first warp principle, the density of the fabric or tightfully described in" the following detailed descripness .of the stiches is largely determined by tion, and then be particularly pointed out in the the feedin (portion of yarn allotted to each. appended claims, reference being had to the acknitting cycle). companying drawings, in which:

In warp knitting machines the thread or yarn Fig. l is a front elevational view illustrating is initially wound on one or more warp beams my invention.

and is passed from the beams, through thread or Fig. 2 is a detail end elevation of a portion of yarn guides that are carriedby the guide bars the structure showninFig. 1. 1

of the machine, to the needles. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail vertical longitudinal In order to controlfthe turning movement of section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 4.

the beams it has been found necessary to provide Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4-4 a brake or clutch system regulated by the moveof Fig. 3.

ment of a tension rod over which the threads F g. 5 is a detail horizontal section on the line or yarns pass and which is actuated by the draw 5--5 of Fig.

of the warp thread or yarn as the guides place the Figs. 6 t 9 inclusive are dia rammat c views same around the needles and in the knock-over e after specifically referred to.

of the stitch in the knitting process. In the drawings, in which like numerals and It h already b proposed t drive t warp letters of reference indicate like parts in all the beams with a continuous drive; nevertheless the figures. I l p e m n a e of the mause of a tension device is necessar in this case chine T1118 frame includes e p i s ithe to! also-to take up the slack as released by the rocross arm 5, nd t e d e g m mber 1 tating warp beam during the time, in the knitting The member 1 has an Opening into which t cycle, when no thread or yarn is being used by s 18 pr j t. and has verti a r v s 9 for the guides and/or by memes in the o the racks 66 of a rack-bar 65 later again referred over process. The use of spring-loaded tension e frame a1S0 ieludes a mounting flange 2 rods is not always uniform over the entire width u h the m ium of w i h, and ap s r ws or of the machine at various speeds of the machine. 5 belts, he fram is mounted on an end frame 10 Any stopping or starting of the machines herea knitting m ne- The frame I has a Slot tofore in use, with which I am familiar, produces 4 and shaft bearings, and rec es In to rean irregularity in the knitting'operation, resultin ceive the hand-wheel 4B, later again referred to. in the formation of an undesirable line or streak, Mounted in bearing pertures IN and I02 111' celled a,"stop-markin th m-1 40 the main frame is a first vertical driving shaft My invention, therefore, has for its general 38. A second vertica driving a t 0 is 1 object to overcome the objectionable features ofneled n rings 03 and 61in that frame. The the machines above referred to. I shafts 38 and 40 are operatively connected to- More specifically, my invention has for an obgether to turn at the same speed by means of ject to provide an intermittent drive for each herringbone gears 45, best shown in Fig.1. The warp beam to turn the beam in timed relation to shafts 38 and 40 have fluted portions 39 and 4|,

the thread or yarn consumption during the knitrespectively, on which the driving friction wheels ting cycle and cause it to discharge or release the are slidably held, as will later be more fully exthread or yarn in the correct proportion and at plained. I the correct or proper times, and to do this re- Mounted in suitable bearings ii are parallel gardless of the changing circumference or diamshafts II and I2, respectively; which shafts are eter of the beam as the knitting function pro-" geared together by suitable'gears l3 and H; These I ceeds. shafts are mounted in bearings l5 and I6.

Again it is an object of the invention to pro- The shafts H and I2 carry pinions l8 which vide a simplified form of the invention disclosed project into the openings 8 in the bearing or 1 guide and engage the racks 66 of the bar 65.

1 mesh with the racks cap screws 25.

1 of the frame are connected posite side by blocks 24'.

comprises the front plate roller 63,

The shafts H and 2 carry pinions l1 which These plates 23 are secured to the carriage by The uprights 24of the plates 23 on one side to those on the op- The sliding carriage l9 and back plate 20 between which spacing A bearing block 22 is also plates l9 and 20 (see Figs.

which are bored and tapped, as at 32, to receive 49, the screws 49 being the adjusting screws mounted in bearing apertures in the block- 22 andhavinggears 58 which mesh with a third gear 48 on -a stub shaft 41 also iournaled in the block 22-;"as best shown in Fig. 3. Cap screws 34 pass through the slots carriage. j Suspended rigidly from the upper base member 30, by bars 31, is. a lower base member 36. The

driving friction wheels '42, wear discs 43 and spacers 44 are located between the upper and lower base members 38 and 36 respectively.

Mounted on a shaft55, that i journaled in bearings 6 and 12, i a driven friction wheel. The driven friction wheel may comprise two metal discs 52 located between a resilient disc 53 (rubber for example) which tends to maintain good contact at all times between the friction wheels. Cross-connecting pins 54 may be provided to tie the discs 52 and 53 together. Collars 51 on-the shaft 55 and a key 56 serve to secure the driven friction wheel to the shaft 51 ('see Figs. 1 and 3).

The beam shaft 6| as at 62, to a shaft 58 which is mounted in a bearing 1| .and is driven through herringbone gears 59 and 60 from the shaft 55. I

The rack bar 65 carries a beam-contacting mounted in a fork 64. It will be observed that the rack bar 65 moves up and down vertically along-a radius of the beam and the axes of the several shafts 38, 40, 55, 58, and those of the beam and roller and also the rack bar all lie in the same vertical plane, the ideal positions for accurate adjustments and functioning of the apparatus. Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and :it willbe seen that the shaft 38 is connected through a variable speedtransmi-ssion H6, with a shaft 1 that carries a toothed wheel 61 which meshes with an interrupted flange 11 on a hub 16 having a clutch member 14 rotatably mounted on: the'cam shaft 13 (or any other constantly movable suitable shaft of the knitting machine). The member 14 may be mounted to turn on the shaft 13, but not be slidable thereon, by means of apin and grpove connection 15. A bracket 68 is mounted on the end frame vided with a bearing 69 for the end of the cam shaft 13. A shiftable clutch member 88 is keyed to slide on the shaft 13 and i normally held in engagement with the clutch member 14 by a spring 8| held by a collar 82 adjustable on the shaft. The member 88 may be shifted out of engagement by means of a forked lever 83.and pull bar 84, the latter-having a notch 86 to engage the slotted bracket 85 through which the rod 8 of the arm 29 into th e and is pro-= passe and latch the'clutch in the non-opera 26 that are carried by the i uprights 24 of the carriage-engaging plates 23.

2o 1 to shaft N1, the driven mounted on the shaft jcates a stationary thread guide bar, 98 a over sinker and 99 a'needl'e of the machine, while tive position.

The interrupted flange 11, meshing with the teeth of the toothed wheel 61, has a curved or worm portion 18 of a suitable pitch-say enough to move the toothed wheel one tooth for each revolution of the shaft 13. The flange 11 may also have another curved portion 19 which may terminate in a straight end 19 which lies in a plane offset from that of the uncurved part of the flange 11, or it may curve back and terminate in the same plane as the uncurved part of the flange, as shown, respectively, in Figs. 7 and 9 andhereinafter more fully explained.

The variable speed transmission between shafts H1 and 381's preferably one of the Reeves type shown, although any other suitable type may be employed. This transmission includes the supporting frame secured to end frame 18 by a bracket |25, the driving discs 9 slidably keyed discs I 8 slidably keyed to shaft 38, the driving belt |;28,the disc shifting levers |2|, the adjusting screw I22 wheel I24, and the indicator I23.

As best shown in Figspl and 3, a sprocket 81 is l2. A bracket 89 is secured to the frame I and carries a stub shaft 90 on which is mounted a hand wheel 9| and sprocket 92. A chain 88 takes over the sprockets 81 and 92 fora purpose later to be made clear. The sprocket 92 is secured wheel 9| by a set screw 93.

In Figs. 6 and 8, 94 indicates the rock-shaft which carries the thread guide 96 and racking bar 95 of the knitting machine, while 91 indiknocke I88 indicates the thread or yarn. Figs. 6to9 are diagrammatic views soonagain to be referred to. The. adjustable mounting of the friction wheel carrier on the sliding carriage, in the present and p ol 6| are coupled,

embodiment is provided simply for convenience in'making a fine initial adjustment of the posi-- tion of the wheels 42 on the driven friction wheel' 52,- 53 and may be omitted if desired in which event the friction wheel carrier will be fixedly secured to the sliding carriage in any wellknown or convenient way. I

Operation Assume the parts to be positioned as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. Each rotation of the shaft 13 will turn' the toothed whee161 the distance of one tooth, which, with the setting of the friction and shown, will advance the of the shaft 1 is transmitted to shaft 38. From thence motion is transmitted to shaft 55, through the friction drive 42,

5253 and from shaft 55 to the beam shaft 6| through the herringbone gears 59, 60. The change in the positions of the friction wheels 42 with'respect' tothefrictio'n wheel 5253 varies in proportion to the decrease in the diameter of the beam as the thread is taken off.

;If it is desired to lengthen or shorten the feed of thread to the needles for different knitting, the hand wheel |24 is turned to decrease or increase the speed of shaft 38 accordingly.

' Inthe knitting process thread is laid about the needles by the thread guide or guides and on the ddwn strokes the needles draw the thread through previously formed and knocked-over loops, there being periods of dwell during which no thread is with hand to turn with the hand thread taut or under a being drawn from the beam. Depending on the way the thread guides are mounted, i. e., the way they move from front to back of the needles in laying the thread, the guides pull more or less of the thread in addition to the pull of the needles. This makes it necessary, in knitting machines enerally, to provide yieldably threadtensioning guides, My invention has been designed to do away with the resilient guides and provide a positive thread feed at all times. For example: if the thread guides 96 are so mounted as to swing back and forth and rack the thread about the needle without a backlash of the thread, then I provide a flange 11 with a deflection l9 suflicient to move the beam just far enough to allow the thread guides 95 to function while keeping the constant tension, the end of the deflected portion 19 terminating to one side of the general plane of the dwell portion of the flange (see Fig. 6); if, however, the movement of the thread guide 96 results in a pull and a slack on the thread, then the deflected portion 19 terminates in the same plane as the dwell portion of the flange or as near thereto as necessary to reverse the beam movement to take up the slack. The use of herringbone gears 45, 59 and 60, and the use of anti-friction bearings (not shown) wherever ossible will prevent backlash or looseness in the transmission between the shaft 38 and the beam, as well as prolong the life of the same. When it is desired to insert a new beam in place of an empty one, the clutch 80 is thrown out and the wheel 9| is turned to lift the beam-engaging roller out of the way. After the beam has been replaced with the full beam, the wheel 9| is reversed until roller 63 again rests on the thread It should be understood that when more than one beam is used in a knitting machine, my apparatus will be duplicated accordingly, i. e., one device will be provided for each warp beam.

Attention is called to ble friction wheel 52-53 gives a flexible contact with the driving wheels 42 and prevents slippage. Further, the outer surfaces of the discs 52 may be roughened or milled to aid in preventing slip- With my invention in use, a formula may be set up'which will produce the same degree of tight-' ness or density of stitches at all timesin any given width of fabric, for the reason that the output of warp thread or yarn is positive and is delivered to the guides and needles of the knitting machin in the same amounts as are used by the guides and needles while performing their knitting cycles: the output of warp thread is not dependent upon any cam or spring action between the warp beam and the needles during the knitting process.

In the manufacture of knitted fabrics, when more than one warp beam is used, the rate of the discharge of the threads or yarns from the several beams, in relation one to another, is very important, as fabrics of different degrees of density or elasticity are in demand-for different purposes.

By the use of my invention, changes may be made by simple adjustments of beam operating units whereby positive alterations may be made to change the degree of density or elasticity of the knitted fabric, as may bedesired.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is the several warp the fact that the expansi-. I

' bly mounted thought the complete construction, operation and advantages of my apparatus will be clear to those skilled in the art to which it appertains.

What I claim is:

1. In a knitting machine wherein is provided 'knitting needles, thread guides for laying thread about the needles, a beam and a constantly rotating shaft: the improvement which includes a support; a pair of parallel shafts rotatable in said support; meshing gears on said pair of shafts; a step-by-step power transmission including a variable-speed transmission mechanism between said constantly rotating shaft and one of said parallel shafts; friction wheels slidable on and rotatable with said parallel shafts; a third shaft mounted in said support; a friction disc on said third shaft; power transmitting connections between said third shaft and said beam; a sliding carriage for said friction wheels; a member for resting on the thread of the beam and movable along a radius of the beam; and operative connections between said member and said sliding carriage for moving said carriage according to changing beam-thread diameters.

21 In a knitting machine having a cam shaft, knitting needles, thread guides operated by the cam shaft, and having a warp beam: the improvement which includes a stationary frame mounted on the knitting machine; a driving shaft carried by said frame; a driven shaft carriedby said frame; a gear connection between said driven shaft and the warp beam; a friction wheel on the driving shaft and a friction wheel on the driven shaft engaged by the first mentioned friction wheel; a gravity actuated carriage for said first mentioned friction wheel; and means governed by the reduction in the diameter of the roll of thread on the beam for effecting the lowering of said carriage in proportion thereto, thereby governing the distance the beam is turned during each revolution of the crank shaft.

3. In a knitting machine wherein are provided knitting needles, thread guides, a cam shaft for operating the. needles and thread guides, and wherein is provided a warp beam: a stationary frame mounted on the machine; a driven pair of vertical inter-geared shafts mounted in bearings on said carriage and operatively connected with said cam shaft, the operative connections including a changeable-speed power transmission mechanism; friction drive wheels vertically slidaon said shafts; a driven shaft journaled in hearings on said frame; a friction driven wheel on each of said drive shafts with both sides of which said first mentioned friction wheels engage; gear connections between said drlven shaft and said warp-beam; a carriage for said friction drive wheels slidably mounted in said frame and continuously tending tomove in one direction to shift said friction drive wheels on said friction driven wheel; at carriage; at least one shaft rotatably mounted on said frame and having a pinion to engage said rack; a rack bar carrying a member engaging the beam thread and continuously tending to move toward the axis of the beam; and an operative connection between said one shaft and said rack bar.

ROY C. AMIDON.

least one rack carried by said 

